Luria Backs Bill Mandating Stronger Reporting Requirements for Assisted Living Communities

U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) this week announced her support for the Assisted Living Facility Coronavirus Reporting Act, which aims to improve the safety of residents, their families, and personnel at assisted living communities by fortifying reporting mandates related to COVID-19 infections, reports the Augusta Free Press . The measure would obligate states to disclose weekly and historic COVID-19 data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and require assisted living communities to alert federal, state, and local health officials if anyone associated with the community contracts the virus. While less than 1 percent of the American population lives in nursing communities, 42 percent of all deaths from COVID-19 occurred among residents in these care facilities. Luria remarks, "This bill will hold nursing homes accountable as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and will give the CDC and the Department of Heath and Human Services the data and information they need to advise the public."